Well pumping system



July 24, 1962 J. LINDNER 3,045,607

WELL PUMPING SYSTEM Filed April 11, 1960 A w o D *N 7 x h F La l N Q) INVENTOR. Jico JN0/vez BY Magma/72M A TTOE/YEMS United States Patent O Mce amasar WELL IUMPING SYSTEM Jacob Lindner, 524 N. 90th St., Wauwatosa, Wis. Fired Apr. 1i, 1960, ser. No. 21,432 6 Claims. (el. 10s-221) The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of liquid dispensation and distribution, and it relates more specifically to improvements in systems for pumping water from wells to storage receptacles or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved well pumping system especially adapted for use in localities which are subject to freezing temperatures, and which is simple in construction and efiicient in operation.

In well pumping systems of the type embodying a pump submerged in the well water and which is periodically operable to transport water through a pipe line to a storage tank or other place of utilization, considerable diiculty is frequently encountered in cold climates whenever the pump stops due to freezing of water confined in pipe line portions located above the frost line and which are exposed to the ambient atmosphere. While numerous types of devices intended to obviate such trouble have heretofore been proposed, these have not been entirely satisfactory either because they were too complicated and diflicult to install and to maintain in operating condition, or because they did not effectively overcome the difliculty.

It is therefore a more important specific object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified device for effectively and automatically eliminating such freezing trouble in well pumping installations.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive anti-freeze unit for well pumping systems, which can be conveniently installed in either new or existing installations.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a compact and highly dependable. freeze preventing accessory for pumping systems located in cold climates which functions to automatically effect drainage from zones which may be exposed to freezing temperatures, whenever the liquid transporting pump stops.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved float controlled valve for preventing objectionable freezing in well pumping equipment, and which is adapted to be readily installed directly within the liquid transfer line leading from the pump.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will -be apparent from the following description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement, and of the construction and operation of a typical well pumping installation embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic part-sectional side elevation of a water pumping installation showing the various parts and the improved anti-freeze unit in approximate relation to each other;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal vertical section through a preferred embodiment of the unit;

FIG. 3 is a similarly enlarged transverse section through the same freeze-preventing unit taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a likewise enlarged central vertical section through the check valve installed in the pipe line between the pump and the anti-freeze unit of the installation; and

3,945,607 Patented July 24, 1962 FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragment of the central longitudinal vertical section through a modification of the unit shown in FIG. 2.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as having been embodied in a typical fresh water well pumping installation embodying a totally submerged pump unit, it may be advantageously applicable to other types of systems for pumping other congealable liquids; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms utilized herein be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the well pumping system shown diagrammatically therein, comprises in general, a well 3 having therein a submerged pump 9; a storage tank 1@ for receiving water displaced by the pump 9 and being located at any convenient locality remote from the well 8; a pipe line having a lower portion 11 communicating .directly with the outlet of the pump 9 and an upper portion 12 communicating with the tank 10 and passing through the ambient atmosphere; and a float controlled valve unit 13 interposed between the pipe line portions 11, 12 below the frost line 14 for effecting drainage of water from within the upper pipe line portion 12 above the unit 13 whenever the pump 9 stops and the water level in the well 8 is beneath or above the unit 13.

The pump 9 may -be of any of the available motor driven types on the market, and the storage tank 10 may be disposed Within the basement of a building 16 as shown in FIG. 1 and is provided with a lower outlet 17 through which water may be withdrawn as required in any suitable manner. The lower pipe line portion 11 is provided with a bleeder 18, and a check valve 19 such as shown in detail in FIG. 4 is inserted in this lower line portion 11 between the bleeder 18 and the pump 9 as in FIG. 1. All of these parts are of well known construction in the art.

The improved lioat valve assemblage or unit 13 which is interposed between the adjacent ends of the pipe line portions 11, 12 within the Well 8 and below the frost line 14, constitutes an important part of the present invention and is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. This unit comprises a chamber formed by an enlarged upright tube 20 having lower and upper end fittings 21, 22 respectively connecting its ends with the adjacent pipe line portions 11, 12 and the lower of which is provided with an annular valve seat 23 while the upper fitting is spanned by a transverse pin 24; and a valve 25 cooperable with the seat 23 and being attached to the lower end of a sealed cylindrical float 26 which has an external diameter somewhat less than the internal diameter of the tube 20. As a matter of fact, the area surrounding the float 26 must be at least as great as the area of the line 11 taken transversely thereof to permit proper ow of water in either direction past the unit 13 when the valve 25 is open, but the lbleeder 18 should have far less open area in order to prevent free circulation of excess water therethrough within the well 8 while the pump 9 is operating.

When the various parts of the well pumping system have `been constructed and installed as shown in FIG. 1, and the pump 9 is periodically operated to deliver water from the well S to the tank 1t) through the pipe line most of the water will initially iiow through the lower pipe line portion 11 past the check valve 19 and 4bleeder 13 and will then lift the valve 25 from the seat 23 and will permit the Water to` flow through the annular space surrounding the float 26. The buoyant float 26 will rise within the tube 20 until its upper end engages the stop pin 24 to hold the Valve 25 in open position, and as the pump 9 continues to operate water will be delivered from the unit 3 13 through the upper pipe line section 12 into the storage tank 10.

When the pump 9 stops, and assuming that the Water level in the well 8 is below the unit 13, water will initially `be confined within the upper pipe line portion 12 located within the well and also in the upper approximately horizontal section thereof. However, the entrapped water, because of the pressure existing in the tank 10, will be forced back toward the Well. As long as there is water in the line above seat 23, it will act upon the buoyant float 26 to hold the valve 25 open and the confined water is therefore forced back past this valve 25 `by the tank pressure and is permitted to gradually escape into the well S through the small area bleeder 18, the check valve 19 being closed while the pump 9 is idle. This automatic functioning of the large area drainage unit 13 will obviously insure against harmful freezing of water in the upper pipe line when the temperature f the ambient air is -below 32 F., because the unit permits prompt drainage of water to a point located below the frost line 14. The bleeder 18` may, of course, be located at any point in the line between the check valve 19 and the seat 23 for the float actuated valve 25, and to facilitate evacuation of water, I have found it preferable to employ a second small area bleed hole 30 directly below the valve seat 23. The total area of the drainage openings produced by the bleeder 18 and hole 30 should, however, be insufficient to materially reduce the pumping capacity of the pump 9 when operating, and these bleeder openings primarily facilitate drainage of water in the pipe line to a point below the frost line 14 and restarting of this pump 9 by eliminating excessive back pressure thereon.

In order to prevent possible destructive impact of the upper end of the float 26 with the rigid stop pin 24, this pin may lbe replaced by a helical spring 28 suspended from a washer 29` as in the modification shown in FIG. 5. This washer 29 may be clamped between the upper end of the tube 20 and the upper fitting 22, and the spring 28 should be sufiiciently light so as not to obstruct openF ing of the valve 25 but should effectively cushion the rising float 26.

In the present improved system, the valve unit 13 not only prevents loss of pressure in the storage tank 10 when the pump is idle, but it also permits the tank pressure t0 aid in effecting prompt drainage of water from that portion of the pipe line 12 which is located above the frost line through restricted bleeder passages. In the present system, the unit 13 is located in the pipe line in axial alignment with the pipe sections 11, 12 and is so formed that when the valve 25 is open the unit provides a liquid passage having an area at least equal to that of the piping, but the bleeder 18 should be of considerably less area in order to avoid return of excessive liquid therethrough into the well 8 while the pump 9 is operating. Immediately following stoppage of the pump 9, the tank pressure functions to promptly force water confined within the pipe line section 12 beyond the elbow leading to the tank 10, past the valve 25, which is being held open bythe submerged float 26, and through the pipe line section 11 and bleeder 18 into the well 8 until this liquid has been expelled from the unit 13 whereupon the valve 25 closes automatically and is held closed by the tank pressure. After the valve 25 has closed, the bleeder 18 gradually drains the pipe section 11, and while several of these standard bleeders may be utilized in order to augment final drainage, the use of the check valve 19 is not essential with most types of electrically actuated pumps 9.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation of the improved anti-freeze device, it should be apparent that the invention in fact provides a simple, compact and highly eiiicient unit for preventing the water confined in the pipe line portion from freezing in cold climates. The improved unit 13 is inexpensive and readily installable, and may be formed in various sizes adapted for application to existing or new i installations. The device has proven highly reliable and effective in actual use, and will function without requiring attention after being properly installed.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope ofthe following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

l. A well pumping system comprising, a pump submerged in the well water, a storage tank for receiving water displaced by the pump and for maintaining this water under pressure when the pump is operating, a pipe line extending upwardly within the well and connecting the pump `with the tank, a float controlled valve unit disposed directly in said pipe line Within the well above the pump but below the frost line and providing a passage at least equal in area to that of the pipe line for effecting drainage of water under tank pressure from within the pipe line above the unit when said pump stops, and a bleeder interposed in said pipe line beneath said unit but above said pump.

2. A well pumping system comprising, a pump submerged in the well water, a storage tank for receiving water displaced by the pump and for maintaining this water under pressure when the pump is operating, a pipe line extending upwardly within the well and connecting the pump with the tank, a float actuated valve disposed directly in a portion of said pipe line within the well above the pump but below the frost line to provide a passage at least equal in area to that of the pipe line and being operable by water under tank pressure confined within said pipe line portion to effect prompt drainage of said confined water into the well whenever said pump stops, and a bleeder interposed in said pipe line between said unit and said pump.

3. A well pumping system comprising, a pump submerged in the well water, a storage tank for receiving water displaced by the pump and for maintaining this water under pressure when the pump is operating, a pipe line extending upwardly within the well and connecting the pump with the tank, and a unit consisting of a valve attached to the lower end of an elongated sealed float both disposed directly in a portion of said pipe line within the Well above the pump but below the frost line to provide a passage at least equal in area to that of the pipe line and being operable Ito effect drainage of water under tank pressure confined within said pipe line portion whenever said pump stops and the liquid level in the well is above the valve, and liquid drainage means of considerably less area than that of the pipe line interposed in the latter between said unit and said pump.

4. A well pumping system comprising, a pump submerged in `the well water, a storage tank remote from said pump for receiving water displaced thereby and for maintaining this Water under pressure when the pump is operating, a pipe line extending upwardly within the well and connecting the pump with the tank, means forming a chamber within said pipe line above said pump, said chamber having a valve seat at the lower end thereof, a float confined within said chamber and having a valve carried by the lower end thereof, said float being adapted to move said valve away from said seat upon entrance of water into said chamber to provide a passage at least equal in area to that of the pipe line, and a bleeder of considerably less area in said pipe line below said chamber for permitting said chamber to empty of water and permit said iioat and said valve to return to said seat whenever the chamber has been emptied and said pump is inactive.

5. A well pumping system comprising, a pump submerged in the well water, a storage tank remote from said pump for receiving Water displaced thereby and for maintaining this water under pressure vwhen the pump is operating, a pipe line extending upwardly Within the well and connecting the pump with the tank, means forming a chamber in axial alignment with said pipe line above said pump, said chamber having a valve seat at the lower end thereof, a oat confined within but spaced from the wall of said chamber and having a valve carried by the lower end thereof, said oat being adapted to move said valve away from said seat upon entrance of water into said chamber to provide a passage atleast equal in area to that of the pipe line, a bleeder in said pipe line below said chamber for permitting said chamber to empty of water and permit said float and said valve to return to said seat Whenever the chamber has been emptied and said pump is inactive, and a one-'way check valve in said pipe line between said bleeder and said pump to prevent complete drainage of said pipe line adjacent to the pump.

6. In a well pumping system, a pump disposed in the well water, a storage tank for confining water under pressure, a pipe line connecting said pump wi-th said tank, both the pump and the tank being located considerably below the frost line and said pipe line having a connecting portion located above the frost line inclined toward the well, a float actuated valve unit disposed directly in said pipe line within the well above the pump but below the frost line to provide a Water passage at least equal in area to that of the pipe line and subjected to tank pressure when the pump is delivering water to the tank, and means interposed in the pipe line between said unit and said pump for draining liquid from said inclined pipe line portion past the unit and into the well when the pump is stopped.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 782,493 Day Feb. 14, 1905 1,557,949 Walton Oct. 20, 1925 2,787,220 Patterson et al. Apr. 2, 1957 

